US6355216B1 - Method of sterilizing closed containers - Google Patents

Method of sterilizing closed containers Download PDF

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Publication number
US6355216B1
US6355216B1 US09/284,044 US28404400A US6355216B1 US 6355216 B1 US6355216 B1 US 6355216B1 US 28404400 A US28404400 A US 28404400A US 6355216 B1 US6355216 B1 US 6355216B1
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United States
Prior art keywords
container
ozone
sterilizing
electron irradiation
bottles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
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US09/284,044
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English (en)
Inventor
Anders Kristiansson
Jan Andersson
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Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
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Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
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Filing date
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Assigned to TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA reassignment TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ANDERSSON, JAN, KRISTIANSSON, ANDERS
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Publication of US6355216B1 publication Critical patent/US6355216B1/en
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2/00—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor
    • A61L2/02—Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects other than foodstuffs or contact lenses; Accessories therefor using physical phenomena
    • A61L2/08—Radiation
    • A61L2/087—Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2202/00—Aspects relating to methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects
    • A61L2202/10—Apparatus features
    • A61L2202/11—Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
    • A61L2202/00—Aspects relating to methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials or objects
    • A61L2202/20—Targets to be treated
    • A61L2202/23—Containers, e.g. vials, bottles, syringes, mail

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a method of sterilizing a container.
  • Electron guns have been used for food containers for the purpose of sterilizing relatively thin containers from the outside, and for several years the sterilization method has been contemplated for further use within the packaging industry.
  • a commercial plastic bottle is irradiated from one side with a relatively low energetic and thus cheap commercial electron generator it is relatively simple to sterilize the cubic content within the bottle as well as smooth surfaces on the inside of the container.
  • other places in the bottle such as its neck and bottom part, are concerned the material at those places is so thick and the radiation due to the low energy is so low that a sufficient lethal effect cannot be achieved.
  • Different systems have thus been developed in order to obtain an effective sterilization within this type of container, the sterilization being achieved via the open part of the container.
  • Electron irradiation is a generally known sterilization method, and the mechanism behind the lethal effect has been thoroughly studied.
  • the main lethal mechanism of the irradiation is that these electrons within a cell break bonds in the DNA chain.
  • a further problem is that the ozone formed in turn can react with the package material, and the reaction products obtained can give an off flavor when solubilized from the material.
  • the ozone generated is considered to result in product limitations in that sensitive products are more difficult to pack.
  • the purpose of the invention is to provide a method of the kind mentioned by way of introduction, which method allows a more effective sterilization of closed containers in a cheap and simple way, the problems mentioned above being eliminated.
  • FIG. 1 shows the killing of microorganisms as a logarithmic reduction (LGR) after electron irradiation of sealed PET bottles containing air (empty rectangles) or helium (hatched rectangles).
  • LGR logarithmic reduction
  • Ozone is known to be a strong oxidant of organic substances, but the prospects of using ozone has been limited by the high investment and operating costs for its production.
  • the ozone molecules—in the form of activated oxygen—by means of chain reaction give rise to what is called free radicals which result in that biomolecules (DNA, RNA, enzymic and structural proteins, and saturated fatty acids, etc.) are changed and destroyed.
  • biomolecules DNA, RNA, enzymic and structural proteins, and saturated fatty acids, etc.
  • the air which has been activated by means of electron irradiation is according to the invention utilized in that the container is sealed before the electron irradiation is started and the ozone formed is retained within the closed container for the purpose of sterilizing the same.
  • an environment rich in ozone is produced, which during a suitable and necessary period of time is allowed to exert its effect so that a satisfactory sterilization is obtained.
  • the ozone formed has half-lives which are very dependent on its environment, i.e. the material in the vicinity of the O 3 -molecules.
  • the half-life depends on such parameters as the humidity of the air as well as the temperature and it can vary from about ten seconds to several days. A too rapid degradation in a closed container would result in that the required sterilizing dosage [f(time, concentration)] becomes too low.
  • a 300 keV electron beam and an analyzer Ozomat MP Ozone (Anseros, Germany) were used.
  • the ozone was generated with an acceleration voltage of 300 keV and a dosage of 20 kGy in sixty PET bottles which had been subjected to a small pressure above the atmospheric for the purpose of avoiding the penetration of air.
  • the ozone concentrations in the bottles were then followed for 12.5 h.
  • Bottles containing ozone generated in air were compared with bottles irradiated with electrons in an inert atmosphere.
  • sealed PET bottles of 350 ml were tested by means of four different treatments:
  • the bottles contained air and were irradiated with an average dosage of 25 kGy;
  • the bottles contained air and were irradiated with an average dosage of 40 kGy;
  • the bottles contained nitrogen gas and were irradiated with an average dosage of 25 kGy;
  • the bottles contained air and were not irradiated but treated as a reference example.
  • PET bottles were inoculated with one of the test organisms and exposed to an electron gun (10 MeV, Risö National Laboratories) with doses of 7 and 9 kGy, respectively, the bottles then being filled with 50 ml culture broth for each organism. The bottles were incubated and afterwards analyzed to assess whether any growth occurred in the bottles or not. The results in comparison with reference samples were statistically evaluated in a customary way (based on the method with “Most Probable Number”) which is well known to the man skilled in the art.
  • FIG. 1 shows the logarithmic reduction of B. pumilus and B. subtilis in helium and air (30% relative humidity) with radiation dosages of 7 and 9 kGy, respectively, for the two microorganisms.
  • the effects obtained by the sterilization according to the invention could be due to the following.
  • this corresponds to about 10 9 electrons being passed through a microorganism during the sterilization process, and only a small part of these electrons will result in a directly lethal effect in the form of destruction of DNA.
  • all the electrons pass through the cell membrane and will then generate membrane damages which weaken the organism and result in an increased probability of the ozone generated by the electron irradiation more easily being able to penetrate into the cell.
  • the ozone can exert its additive effect.
  • a supplementary effect can be explained by the two sterilization methods being able to act in different ways. The effect becomes synergistic in that the ozone destroys enzymes, and then above all in that the enzymatic DNA repair mechanisms are eliminated.
  • the ability of the electrons to penetrate a package material is relatively low but depends of course on the radiation energy. Thanks to the invention the energy level required for electron irradiation is not influenced by the container locally having a large material thickness, such as for example the neck of a bottle. In that way energy levels less than 300 keV can be utilized, which results in that commercially available equipment can be utilized.
  • An important advantage of the method according to invention is that the unfilled container used is manufactured closed and impervious. Thus, the generation as well as the degradation of the poisonous gas takes place inside an already pre-sealed container.
  • a certain sterilization takes place and at the same time ozone is formed. Before the container is filled the ozone is allowed to act for such a long period of time that its action together with the initial effect of the electron irradiation results in a sufficient sterilization of the container. Since it takes much time to repair the injuries obtained from an electron irradiation it can be necessary to make use of a long storage time with ozone in the container.
  • the container While the sterilization process still proceeds after the treatment of the container by means of electron irradiation the container is transported to the place of filling, where the container is filled and resealed in a sterile environment. If the time between the sterilization and the filling of the container is sufficiently long the ozone concentration will decrease. Consequently, the inconvenience of handling a poisonous gas is reduced when the container is filled. It is thus possible to let the degradation proceed to such a length that the ozone content is harmless when the container is opened in the filling machine.
  • the ozone content can according to the invention also be adjusted by modifying the atmosphere within the container.
  • the amount of ozone generated in the container can be increased by the addition of more oxygen to the container before it is sealed.
  • the degradation rate of the ozone can be decreased by lowering the temperature in the container.
  • an increased degradation rate is obtained when the temperature is increased. Any remaining residual ozone in a container can thus be eliminated by heating the container directly before the filling procedure.
  • the degradation rate can also be increased by raising the humidity in the container.
  • the humidity in the container By controlling the humidity in the container the water activity is also controlled, which in turn influences the death rate of the microorganisms during the sterilization process.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
  • Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
US09/284,044 1996-10-14 1997-09-19 Method of sterilizing closed containers Expired - Fee Related US6355216B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE9603736A SE507526C2 (sv) 1996-10-14 1996-10-14 Steriliseringsmetod för slutna förpackningar
SE9603736 1996-10-14
PCT/SE1997/001576 WO1998016287A1 (en) 1996-10-14 1997-09-19 A method of sterilizing closed containers

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US6355216B1 true US6355216B1 (en) 2002-03-12

Family

ID=20404224

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/284,044 Expired - Fee Related US6355216B1 (en) 1996-10-14 1997-09-19 Method of sterilizing closed containers

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US6355216B1 (zh)
EP (1) EP1023224B1 (zh)
JP (1) JP2001502278A (zh)
CN (1) CN1087258C (zh)
AT (1) ATE316039T1 (zh)
AU (1) AU4640597A (zh)
BR (1) BR9711912A (zh)
DE (1) DE69735141T2 (zh)
ES (1) ES2252796T3 (zh)
SE (1) SE507526C2 (zh)
WO (1) WO1998016287A1 (zh)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030212242A1 (en) * 1999-01-18 2003-11-13 Motoji Abe Antistatic molded article comprising a polyesteramide resin
US20070166186A1 (en) * 2004-02-11 2007-07-19 Stec Michael J Descenting apparatus and method
US7247337B1 (en) * 2002-12-16 2007-07-24 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Method and apparatus for microarray fabrication
WO2007099120A1 (en) * 2006-02-28 2007-09-07 Novo Nordisk A/S A method and an apparatus for sterilizing packaging material
US20070212253A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2007-09-13 Elrod Scott A Descenting systems and methods
US20070262490A1 (en) * 2002-03-28 2007-11-15 Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd. Polyethylene terephthalate resin container
US20100071633A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2010-03-25 Ozonics, LLC Descenting Systems And Methods
US20100289655A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2010-11-18 Elrod Scott A Detecting descented material
EP2289813A1 (en) 2002-08-13 2011-03-02 Medical Instill Technologies, Inc. Container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances, and related method
US7939015B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2011-05-10 Parah, Llc Method of descenting hunter's clothing
US8257648B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2012-09-04 Scott Elrod System and method for reducing odors in a blind
US8329096B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2012-12-11 Parah, Llc Systems and methods for detecting descented material
US9479741B2 (en) 2012-04-04 2016-10-25 Guy LaMonte McClung, III System and methods for detecting efforts to thwart material detection by service animals
CN111491671A (zh) * 2017-12-27 2020-08-04 科赫尔塑料机械制造有限公司 用于减少微生物污染的方法
RU2776709C2 (ru) * 2017-12-27 2022-07-25 Кохер-Пластик Машиненбау Гмбх Способ уменьшения микробиологического загрязнения

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE514967C2 (sv) 1999-09-17 2001-05-21 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance System för övervakning och styrning vid sterilisering av ett föremål
AR033982A1 (es) 2000-08-18 2004-01-21 Eastman Chem Co Un envase que contiene un articulo esterilizado por irradiacion, un metodo de esterilizacion por irradiacion de un articulo envasado, un metodo para preparar un articulo envasado esterilizado y el articulo envasado esterilizado preparado
EP1598274B1 (de) * 2004-05-21 2007-10-24 DEUTSCHE SISI-WERKE GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Befüllen flexibler Folienbeutel
WO2008103715A1 (en) * 2007-02-22 2008-08-28 Uv03, Inc. Method of sterilizing
DE102011015344A1 (de) 2011-03-28 2012-10-04 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Sterilisieren von Verpackungsmitteln
WO2013054539A1 (ja) * 2011-10-13 2013-04-18 岩崎電気株式会社 電子線照射による不活化方法および処理装置

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5250257A (en) * 1990-06-20 1993-10-05 Adatomed Pharmazeutische Und Medizintechnische Gesellschaft Mbh Process for the sterilization of implants
US5855856A (en) * 1996-03-19 1999-01-05 Ozone Sterilization Products, Inc. Ozone generator and method for ozone generation
US6085492A (en) * 1996-02-28 2000-07-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Method for sterilizing closed containers

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE452710B (sv) * 1986-04-07 1987-12-14 Stefan Westerberg Forfarande och anordning for stralsterilisering av organiskt material

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5250257A (en) * 1990-06-20 1993-10-05 Adatomed Pharmazeutische Und Medizintechnische Gesellschaft Mbh Process for the sterilization of implants
US6085492A (en) * 1996-02-28 2000-07-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Method for sterilizing closed containers
US5855856A (en) * 1996-03-19 1999-01-05 Ozone Sterilization Products, Inc. Ozone generator and method for ozone generation

Cited By (29)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030212242A1 (en) * 1999-01-18 2003-11-13 Motoji Abe Antistatic molded article comprising a polyesteramide resin
US6797804B2 (en) 1999-01-18 2004-09-28 Dsm N.V. Antistatic molded article comprising a polyesteramide resin
US20070262490A1 (en) * 2002-03-28 2007-11-15 Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd. Polyethylene terephthalate resin container
EP2949591A1 (en) 2002-08-13 2015-12-02 Medical Instill Technologies, Inc. Container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances, and related method
EP2289813A1 (en) 2002-08-13 2011-03-02 Medical Instill Technologies, Inc. Container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances, and related method
US7247337B1 (en) * 2002-12-16 2007-07-24 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Method and apparatus for microarray fabrication
US20070166186A1 (en) * 2004-02-11 2007-07-19 Stec Michael J Descenting apparatus and method
US20100289655A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2010-11-18 Elrod Scott A Detecting descented material
US10752501B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2020-08-25 Parah, Llc Scent elimination device for hunters in the field
US20100226819A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2010-09-09 Elrod Scott A Descenting systems and methods
US8663553B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2014-03-04 Scott Elrod System and method for reducing odors in a blind
US20070212253A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2007-09-13 Elrod Scott A Descenting systems and methods
US7939015B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2011-05-10 Parah, Llc Method of descenting hunter's clothing
US9759701B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2017-09-12 Parah, Llc Systems and methods for detecting descented material
US20100071633A1 (en) * 2004-12-21 2010-03-25 Ozonics, LLC Descenting Systems And Methods
US8066939B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2011-11-29 Parah, Llc Descenting methods
US8187533B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2012-05-29 Parah, Llc Descenting systems and methods
US8257648B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2012-09-04 Scott Elrod System and method for reducing odors in a blind
US8329096B2 (en) 2004-12-21 2012-12-11 Parah, Llc Systems and methods for detecting descented material
US8404180B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2013-03-26 Parah, Llc Method of descenting hunter's clothing
US8557177B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2013-10-15 Parah, Llc Method of descenting hunter's clothing
US20090148340A1 (en) * 2006-02-28 2009-06-11 Nova Nordisk A/S Method and an apparatus for sterilizing packaging material
US7972558B2 (en) 2006-02-28 2011-07-05 Novo Nordisk A/S Method and an apparatus for sterilizing packaging material
WO2007099120A1 (en) * 2006-02-28 2007-09-07 Novo Nordisk A/S A method and an apparatus for sterilizing packaging material
WO2011144948A2 (en) 2010-05-21 2011-11-24 Parah, Llc Detecting descented material
US9479741B2 (en) 2012-04-04 2016-10-25 Guy LaMonte McClung, III System and methods for detecting efforts to thwart material detection by service animals
CN111491671A (zh) * 2017-12-27 2020-08-04 科赫尔塑料机械制造有限公司 用于减少微生物污染的方法
US11369708B2 (en) * 2017-12-27 2022-06-28 Kocher-Plastik Maschinenbau Gmbh Method for reducing microbiological contamination
RU2776709C2 (ru) * 2017-12-27 2022-07-25 Кохер-Пластик Машиненбау Гмбх Способ уменьшения микробиологического загрязнения

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1087258C (zh) 2002-07-10
ES2252796T3 (es) 2006-05-16
AU4640597A (en) 1998-05-11
BR9711912A (pt) 1999-08-24
CN1233221A (zh) 1999-10-27
JP2001502278A (ja) 2001-02-20
SE9603736D0 (sv) 1996-10-14
DE69735141D1 (de) 2006-04-06
EP1023224A1 (en) 2000-08-02
SE507526C2 (sv) 1998-06-15
ATE316039T1 (de) 2006-02-15
WO1998016287A1 (en) 1998-04-23
SE9603736L (sv) 1998-04-15
EP1023224B1 (en) 2006-01-18
DE69735141T2 (de) 2006-08-03

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